Hosted at Young Park Primary school in Young Park, 16 primary schools from Schauderville and Kwazakhele were invited to participate in the workshop (Image: Chevrolet Ute Force)
The Chevrolet Ute Force, in partnership with the Dreamfields Project, a non-profit organisation that focuses on soccer development, rolled out its coaching workshop in Port Elizabeth this week.
Hosted at Young Park Primary school in Young Park, 16 primary schools from Schauderville and Kwazakhele were invited to participate in the workshop that provided them with basic coaching skills and intra school league training. Thirty teachers and seven General Motors employees participated in the workshop and in turn will develop aspirant soccer stars in their communities.
The seven Schauderville Schools are De Vos Malan Primary, GJ Louw Primary, Dieterich Primary, St.Theresa Primary, Frank Joubert Primary, Abraham Levy Primary, Adolph Schauder Primary, and Young Park Primary School. The eight Kwazakele Schools are Henry Nginza Primary, Ebhongweni Primary, Phakama Primary, JK Zondi Primary, Inkqubela Primary, BJ Mnyanda Primary, Ben Nyati Primary, and WB Tshume Primary.
According to Chevrolet brand manager Tim Hendon, the partnership with Dreamfields Project, has enabled Chevrolet to reach many disadvantaged communities where soccer is popular amongst youth. “Each participant will receive a certificate of completion after the workshop which makes them eligible to coach and arrange intra school league games in the future,” said Hendon.
He explained that the initiative links back to the Dreamfields Project’s goal of supporting the South African Football Association Development Agency’s (SAFADA) 2022 Vision, which highlights the need for coaches and the need of finding and grooming talent. “Chevrolet Ute Force has pledged its commitment to this vision, and provides not only funding but also donates One World Futbol soccer balls and soccer equipment and the use of utility bakkies to reach remote communities,” Hendon added.
Earlier this year Chevrolet donated 55 000 One World Futbol, soccer balls to SAFADA. These balls are nearly indestructible and were designed to withstand gruelling conditions and rough surfaces. “Children train with the balls and are able to play with them over and over again without the fear of the ball going flat, this provides them with the needed training time before playing league games.
“As part of our ‘What do you #PlayFor?‘ campaign introduced in April of this year, we will continue to support communities and the beautiful game of soccer – building the nation through play.”
In the spirit of the Chevrolet Ute Force project, which is collaborative in nature and aims to share with people across the country, challenging South Africans to support their communities – a mini documentary of the Port Elizabeth project will be created. Spear headed by the creative team of BoltonInc, cinematographer Louis Bolton has captured the dreams of communities through the Ute Force initiative from day one.
Traveling with the team to Port Elizabeth, Bolton believes that it is through sharing stories that real change can be achieved. He is joined by producer and Ute Force Project manager Bridgette Bolton who oversees the roll-out of the Chevrolet Ute Force project from one community to the next.
